A Mutant Cocaine-Eating Enzyme Could Cure Addiction and Overdoses

Ready for some weird science? Certain bacteria found in the dirt near coca plants are powered by an enzyme that eats cocaine. Unfortunately, the enzyme breaks down quickly at body temperature, meaning it can't be used to treat human overdoses or addiction. Now, though, researchers have designed a version that can survive body temps—and more than doubles its cocaine appetite.

The team achieved this by building a computer model of the naturally occurring enzyme, and simulating a high-temperature environment to see which part of the structure failed first. Once they determined the weak points, it was just a matter of finding mutations that beefed up those parts of the structure without affecting the enzyme's activity.

Only two changes were needed: slight mutations created a double-bond in the weakest region, making a structure that survives at body temp for over 100 days and gnaws through a lot more cocaine. After confirming the structural changes using X-ray crystallography, the team tested the tweaked enzyme in mice.

It certainly worked: according to a recently published research paper, the modified enzyme fully protected mice from lethal doses of cocaine for at least three days – by far the longest protective effect observed yet. That means the enzyme could be useful both as a short-term antidote, and as a long-term addiction-fighting therapy. Perhaps more importantly, the technique of designing an idealised enzyme is applicable far beyond this one realm.

Obviously, more research is needed. This stuff isn't coming to your Emergency Room any time in the immediate future. But someday, a drug-hungry enzyme born from bacteria could save someone you know from a cocaine overdose. [ACS Chemical Biology via Slashdot]